NYC Dog Gets Mugged for a Jacket

Here's yet another sign that the economy has gone to the dogs: A thief in New York City held up a West Highland white terrier this week and made off with the pooch's parka.

With a snowstorm set to wallop the New York metro area, the New York Post reports 10-year-old Lexie was tied outside the Ace Supermarket in Park Slope, Brooklyn while Lexie's owner Donna McPherson ran in to quickly buy some milk. When McPherson came out from the store, she found her white Westie shivering in the cold without his wool jacket. She canvassed the neighborhood looking for clues to who could have done this, but so far no luck.

Despite their double coat, Westies are used to spending much of their time inside near their owners, making it harder for them to tolerate the cold. The American Kennel Club recommends dogs with coarse coats -- including Westies -- wear a sweater when they're out and about in the winter. With temperatures in the 30s in New York City this week, the missing sweater meant Lexie was one cold canine.

McPherson is still hoping to catch the criminal, but she's happy it was a $25 coat that went missing and not her priceless best friend.

McPherson gave two new coats to Lexie to make up for the mugging. By the looks of the forecast for the Northeast this week, he's going to need them.